Effect of four-month vertical whole body vibration on performance and balance

Abstract

The 4-month whole body vibration-intervention enhanced jumping power in young adults, suggesting neuromuscular adaptation to the vibration stimulus. On the other hand, the vibration-intervention showed no effect on dynamic or static balance of the subjects. Future studies should focus on comparing the performance-enhancing effects of a whole body vibration to those of conventional resistance training and, as a broader objective, on investigating the possible effects of vibration on structure and strength of bones, and perhaps, incidence of falls of elderly people.

High-frequency, low-intensity vibrations increase bone mass and muscle strength in upper limbs, improving autonomy in disabled children

“…Of note, the benefit on muscle strength appears to be more consistent across studies. (30)(31)(32)(33)(34) Xie and colleagues have shown that these mechanical signals are anabolic to both bone and muscle. (35) However, a synergy has been demonstrated between muscle and bone mass and strength.…”

Whole-Body-Vibration–Induced Increase in Leg Muscle Activity During Different Squat Exercises

“…In this respect, it must be stated that the hypotheses regarding the mechanisms of WBV on muscle activation, such as the influence of the muscle length and muscle preactivation (4,5), are mainly based on findings of isolated muscle vibration (2,3,7,11,25). It remains unknown to what extent these findings can be linked to WBV (9,10).…”

“…This response is mediated by monosynaptic and polysynaptic pathways and results in increased motor unit activation (6,15). Several studies showed that whole-body vibration (WBV) training, in which subjects perform unloaded exercises on a vibrating platform, resulted in improved muscle strength or muscle performance (3,11,19,20,24,25). Some other studies reported no changes in muscle strength after WBV training (9,10).…”

Transmission of low-intensity vibration through the axial skeleton of persons with spinal cord injury as a potential intervention for preservation of bone quantity and quality

“…As we become more knowledgeable concerning what bone is most responsive to, in terms of stimulating mechanical adaptation, it does not appear that a larger signal is necessarily better, especially when considering that larger signals are associated with an increased risk of tissue damage. Other studies that have administered LIV have been shown to be safe, [12][13][14][15] and these prior reports have demonstrated potential to increase trabecular bone density and improve bone strength in animal studies, [16][17][18]32,33 with benefits to both bone and muscle. 14,18 In a rat model of disuse with constant hind limb suspension compared with normal weight-bearing animals, LIV administered at 90 Hz and 0.25 g on the hind limb suspended rats for 10 minutes a day, 5 days per week, successfully maintained normal rates of bone formation; experimental animals had suppressed bone formation rates of 72% compared to weight-bearing control animals.…”

“…Pharmacological approaches to prevent bone loss have not been generally accepted as efficacious, and they are not routinely administered. 10,11 However, low-magnitude mechanical signals of lowintensity vibration (LIV) delivered by an oscillating platform have been shown to be safe, [12][13][14][15] easy to administer, and anabolic to bone in both animal [16][17][18][19] and human studies. 14,20 This preliminary evidence, although not yet studied in persons with SCI, has demonstrated efficacy in reducing or preventing bone loss in persons with low bone density, as reported in postmenopausal women 14 and children with cerebral palsy.…”